Botanical Name

Murraya koenigii (L.) Spreng

Family

Rutaceae.

Synonyms

Bergera koenigii L.

Regional Name

English : Curry leaf, Hindi : Mitha neem, Kadhi Patta, Kadi Patta, Punjabi  : Kadhi Patta, Assamese: Narasingha, Bengali : Bansang, Kariaphulli, Gujarati : Gornimb, Kadhilimdo, Kannada : Karibaevu, Malayalam : Kariveppu, Marathi : Kadhinim, Poospala, Godnimb, Oriya : Bhursunga, Tamil : Karivempu, Karuveppilei, Telugu : Karivepaku, Karivemu.

Part Used

Leaf.

Description

Kaddi patta is a small tree reaching up to 6 m with dark grey bark and aromatic leaves, found and cultivated almost throughout India and the Andaman Islands up to an altitude of 1,500 m, for its culinary uses as a flavouring spice. Leaves are compound, imparipinnate, petiolate, exstipulate, rachis 11 to 20 cm long; leaflets 11 to 25, shortly petiolulate, arranged alternately on the rachis; lower pairs comparatively smaller in size, obliquely ovate, 2 to 5 cm in length and 1 to 2.5 cm in width, tip acute to obtuse, margin crenate-dentate, glabrous adaxially and pubescent abaxially with interspersed gland dots; main vein one and lateral veins 14 to 20 pairs; odour, characteristically aromatic; taste, acrid.  Phytoconstituents Alkaloids like koenidine, koenigine, koenimbine, mahanimbine, Muconine murrayacine and volatile oils.

Ayurvedic Properties

Rasa : Kasaya, Tikta, Madhura, Guna : Laghu, Snigdha, Vipaka : Katu, Virya : Sita, Karma : Kaphapittahara, Rucya, Dipana, Pacana, Visaghna, Varnya.

Ayurvedic Applications

Arsa, Atisara, Chardi, Daha, Dusta Vrana, Jvara, Kandu, Krmi, Kustha, Prameha, Pravahika, Sula, Sosa, Sopha, Svitra.

Medicinal Uses

It is used in Piles, Diarrhoea, Emesis, Burning sensation, Non-healing ulcer, cough, asthma, bronchitis , Fever, Itching, Helminthiasis, Leprosy,  Skin diseases, Metabolic disorder, Dysentery, Pain / Colic, Emaciation, Oedema, Leucoderma / Vitiligo.